CHAPTER II.

SENT ON A MISSION--STRICKEN WITH CHILLS AND FEVER--PRESIDENT OF MISSION PROFFERS TO RELEASE HIM--UNWILLING TO BE RELEASED--INSTANTLY HEALED WHEN ADMINISTERED TO--TWIN BOYS HEALED IN ANSWER TO ELDER BROWN'S PRAYER--ELDER BROWN HAS A RELAPSE--INSTANTLY HEALED WHEN AGAIN ADMINISTERED TO--AGAIN URGED TO ACCEPT HIS RELEASE--FIELD OF LABOR CHANGED--HEALTH FAILS, AND HE IS SENT HOME--REPROVED BY PRESIDENT WOODRUFF--VICTIM OF A STREET CAR ACCIDENT--HEALED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER.

In 1895 Brother Brown went on a mission to the Southern States, and labored chiefly in Tennessee. He suffered severely from chills and fever, and Elias S. Kimball, president of the mission, wanted to release him to return home. He was ambitious, however, to remain the usual length of time, and make a record as an efficient missionary, and protested against being released. He had faith that he would be healed if administered to, and requested Elder Kimball to anoint his head with oil and pray for his recovery. While Elder Kimball's hands were still upon his head he felt that he was completely healed, and was apparently as free from the ailment afterwards as if he had never been affected by it.

He entered again upon his labors with zest, enjoyed the spirit of his calling and felt very much encouraged over the prospects ahead of making converts and filling a successful mission.

About this time a man who was not a member of the Church brought two boys to him--twins--about six years old, who had been afflicted with fits almost from birth, and requested him to administer to them. He did so, and they were immediately and permanently relieved of their ailment. It created something of a sensation in the neighborhood, where they were well known. The family were encouraged to investigate the Gospel, did so deliberately and thoroughly, became satisfied of its truth, were baptized and remained faithful.

In his zeal to accomplish as much as possible, Elder Brown over-exerted himself and had a relapse of chills and fever, again applied to President Elias S. Kimball, was again administered to and was again healed.

President Kimball again took up a labor with Elder Brown to induce him to accept his release, telling him that according to his judgment he was not the kind of a man to stand the malarial climate of the south. Elder Brown, however, had set his heart upon the work and still declined to accept a release.

In the hope that a change of his field of operations might result in benefit to Elder Brown, President Kimball sent him to labor in a new district for him--in West Tennessee. He gave the President of the Conference special instruction to take an interest in Elder Brown, and, if possible, guard against a recurrence of his ailment. They were temporarily short of traveling Elders in that conference, but more were expected to arrive soon, when it was suggested that he be released from acting as traveling Elder, and allowed to spend his time among the larger branches, organizing Sunday Schools. President Kimball felt that he could be usefully employed in that line, and be able to take better care of his health, because of not being exposed to bad weather.

The result was that the new Elders did not arrive when expected, and Elder Brown was kept laboring as a traveling Elder in that field five and a half months, instead of only a couple of weeks, as intended. He was laboring "without purse or scrip," having agreed to so labor when he first arrived in the mission. While he had faith enough to do so, it involved hardships for which he was in no way fitted, because of his impaired health. He was determined not to give up, and not to volunteer any information in regard to his health either to the conference president or to President Kimball. He grew so bad that he suffered constantly from chills and fever, lost flesh until he was a mere shadow of his former self and for more than a week at a stretch was almost wholly without sleep. His companion had urged him many times to make his condition known to the mission president, but all in vain. Finally his companion became really alarmed about his case, and posted a letter off himself to the mission president, informing him of Elder Brown's condition.

Brother Brown seemed to be very slow about learning that the Lord required the missionaries engaged in his ministry to use wisdom in the matter of conserving their health, to avoid undue exposure, the drinking of impure or contaminated water, going heedlessly in the way of epidemics, etc. While the Lord has the power to heal them, and they, being in His service, should have a special claim upon His protection and blessing, they should not knowingly "tempt the Lord." The account given us in the Bible of Satan taking the Savior up on to the pinnacle of the Temple and proposing that he cast Himself down, may serve as an illustration of the principle under consideration. Of course, the Father had it in His power to save Him, but the injunction was, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." In the ordinary nature of things certain penalties follow the breaking of certain laws. One of the laws of nature is that the human body is incapable of enduring an intense heat. If it comes in contact with fire the flesh is burned, and pain and suffering and perhaps dissolution follows. Of course, the Almighty is able to arrest the operation of a law of nature, as He did in the case of the three Hebrew children that the Bible tells us of being cast into the fiery furnace, but there was special reason for His doing so in their case. They were in the line of their duty, and it was because of their devotion to His cause that they were cast into the furnace, and there was therefore more reason for the Lord coming to their rescue than there would have been had they voluntarily gone into the fire, and thus "tempted the Lord" to suffer them to be destroyed.

Every missionary owes it to himself, to his family, to the people among whom he is sent to labor and to the cause he represents, to take good care of his health, to consider differences in climate, and food, and water and altitude, any or all of which may affect him injuriously unless great care be exercised on his part until he become acclimated or accustomed thereto.

Elder Brown had exhibited more zeal than wisdom in persisting in staying in the mission field after his President had advised him to go home, in enduring hardships and privations that were enough to break the constitution of a thoroughly healthy man in his anxiety to make a record as a missionary. Of course his traveling without purse or scrip rendered him more subject to exposure than if he had been entirely master of the situation by having money in his pocket to pay for food and lodging and transportation whenever required. But if he had been impressed with the fact that his health was of the first importance, and that being out in a shower or even getting his feet wet, and especially going to bed in his wet clothing meant endangering his health in the malarial region in which he traveled, he would have been less reckless than he really was. If he had realized that the natural effect of fasting--voluntary and involuntary--to which he had been subjected, sometimes to an excessive degree, was to weaken his body and render it less capable of withstanding disease and enduring hardship, he might have curbed his enthusiasm, and been more moderate in that respect. As it was, his zeal and enthusiasm really made him reckless, and there is little doubt that he has suffered ever since as a result.

When President Elias S. Kimball received the letter from Elder Brown's companion informing him of the real situation, he sent peremptory orders for the release of the suffering missionary and had him forwarded home without delay.

On his arrival in Salt Lake City he called upon President Woodruff and reported his labors in the mission field, and was taken to task for his reckless disregard of the rules of health. He was told that it was his positive duty to return home when the President of the mission wished to release him, as he was the man whose privilege it was to know the will of the Lord on the subject. His persistence in remaining in the mission and continuing his labors under such unfavorable conditions after such ample warning as he had received of the danger, was really tempting the Lord. The fact that the Lord had mercifully healed him on two different occasions in the mission field, did not even justify him in continuing the risk in the face of the mission president's protest.

How far his good intentions served as a palliation of his offense, is a matter of conjecture. That the Lord has not cast him off is evident from the fact that he enjoys a goodly degree of His spirit. He is a faithful laborer in the cause of God, but his usefulness is very much impaired by his poor health.

Brother Brown has had many evidences since his return from his mission of the willingness of the Lord to hear and answer his own prayers and the prayers of others in his behalf. As an instance, he mentions that he was accidentally thrown from a street car on the evening of January 30, 1913. He was unconscious when picked up, and taken to a hospital, and remained so until 10 o'clock the next morning, when he rallied. Upon examination, it was found that his nose had been broken, three teeth knocked out, four ribs fractured and a rupture produced. Three days afterwards, while suffering from internal hemorrhage and in very great pain, he called for Brother William Newell to administer to him. He felt a change occur while the hands of the Elder were upon his head and testifies that it was by the power of God that he was healed. His improvement from that time was rapid, and the readiness and completeness of his recovery surprised his friends and the doctors who knew the extent of his injuries.

Remarkable Patriarchal Blessing

DR. GLEDHILL'S WIFE OPERATED UPON REPEATEDLY FOR INTERNAL TUMOR--BLESSED BY A PATRIARCH--PROMISED THAT SHE SHOULD RECOVER AND GIVE BIRTH TO MORE CHILDREN--SCIENTIFIC OPINIONS UPSET BY FULFILLMENT OF INSPIRED PROMISE.

When we read the many miracles in healing that we find recorded in a few chapters in the Bible, one is apt to think that to-day these things are not found among us so generally now as anciently, but on more mature thought, one will discover that there are many more manifestations of God's healing power to-day on record than in the Holy Bible.

Being a physician, and dealing with that most sacred and miraculous thing we call life, I often see the power of God made manifest through his authorized servants, and I have personally taken part in this holy ordinance of the administration with oil, where healing, and other blessings have occurred.

Young people sometimes fail to appreciate the priesthood of God. They little realize the power and blessing that may come through this channel. It is with a heart full of gratitude for His Priesthood and the blessings that have come to me and mine from this channel, and with a prayer in my heart that faith may be kindled in the heart of some reader, that I write the following narrative of what I consider a modern miracle.

Mrs. Gledhill, my wife, had been ill for one and a half years; had been to two hospitals including the L. D. S. Hospital of Salt Lake City, and had been examined by five of the best doctors in the State of Utah and their advice and treatment faithfully followed, but her symptoms gradually grew worse. Three times a slight operation had been performed with no improvement, and it was decided that a major operation would be necessary.

Just prior to this time President William H. Seegmiller had just been released from his duties as Stake President of Sevier Stake, an office which he held with honor and credit for thirty years, and had just been appointed a patriarch in the Church. Mrs. Gledhilll requested him to give her a patriarchal blessing, and among other things he promised her, first, that she should become a well woman, and second, that she should become a mother in Israel of additional children.

She was operated upon by two of the best known doctors in the State. On opening the abdomen they found a large tumor of the uterus that was also attached to the bowel. The doctors consulted each other and told me that the growth was probably the most fatal of all growths known in surgery to-day, and that the only hope of her life would be by the removal of the uterus and surrounding tissue, and even then her prospects for recovery would be very small. Then it was that the faith my parents and teachers had tried so hard to instill within me came to my rescue, and I told the doctors that she would live and that I would under no circumstances consent to have her uterus removed and thus prevent the fulfillment of a prophecy uttered by the servant of God in a patriarchal blessing to my wife. I was told that it would recur, and that she would lose her life if I refused, and that according to all the teachings of science and their own extended experience it would be very unwise to leave any part of the uterus. I told them that I would trust the Lord, and in this I was not alone, for Mrs. Gledhill had made a special request, before being operated on, that whatever else was done, not to allow anything that would make impossible the blessing that she had received, and to which she clung with great faith.

The result was that about one-third of the uterus was removed in order to get the tumor. The doctors gave us very little hope even of her recovering from the operation. She slowly and gradually improved, it seemed for five months, when I discovered that the growth was recurring. Just prior to this I had received the following heart-rending news. The pathologist of the L. D. S. Hospital, who made the microscopical examination of the tumor which was removed, wrote me in effect as follows:--That he was "sorry the whole uterus had not been removed, and it was a question in his mind if it wouldn't be best even yet to have the complete removal of the uterus undertaken, as this would give the only hope of recovery."

Another doctor wrote me, saying that all the authorities he had consulted said that these tumors are fatal, no matter what is done.

I then turned to my text book on this subject and read as follows: "Seventy-five per cent of all cases terminate fatally within six months." Then in italicized words it said "Cyncisiomia Malignant is the most fatal of all known tumors, that by an early and complete removal of the uterus before metastasis has taken place, some cases, it has been reported, have been cured."

At times in the past I have felt that my troubles were great, but now it seemed that all the powers of evil were arrayed against me. I thought of how willingly my wife had undergone the hardships incident to going to school in the east with very limited means, and of the many tender circumstances connected with our courtship and newly married life, etc., and now to think of her being taken from me, was more than my failing heart could stand. So that I humbled myself before God as I never had done before, although all my life I had been a praying man.

But yet there was seen during all this time, dimly and at the close of this trouble more clearly, a silver lining to this great dark cloud. It was the promise of President Seegmiller. I took these letters above quoted from with my text book and read them to President Seegmiller and then asked him point blank if it was he who had made the promise, or if it was from God. I told him I must know immediately, Yes or No. President Seegmiller, in his calm but positive way, told me that when his hands were upon my wife's head with his eyes closed, he saw her a well and perfect woman and said he, "I cannot take back what I have said, for it is from God." From this moment on there never was a moment that we have ever doubted or lost faith in this promise.

Mrs. Gledhill was operated on again. The tumor had recurred as had been predicted. This time she refused to go to the hospital, and I operated on her myself, putting by trust in God. I found several tumors had started, and it was impossible to remove them all, so I removed the large one in the scar of the previous operation and left the others on account of the great hemorrhage. About two weeks after this operation, inflammatory rheumatism set in, and for eight long weeks we "wrestled" with the Lord for her life; nor were we alone, for we summoned all available help. Her name was sent to all the temples for the prayer circle. The Primary Stake Board, of which she was in the presidency, prayed for her as a board and individually. Her kindergarten class in Sunday School prayed for her and brought bouquets of flowers to her bed, and for five weeks two Elders called and petitioned the Throne of Grace in her behalf. Finally, it seemed that the Lord had tested us sufficiently; she became better and finally well.

Can my college professor tell me any more that there is no God? Can I doubt His power or the truth of His restored priesthood? Can I afford to dishonor that sacred priesthood? No, no more than I can say black is white. Men may try to explain this some other way, but we know better, and we thank God for every gift and blessing he has given us.

There is the second part of this blessing I want to tell you about. Mrs. Gledhill had been in good health for nearly three years, and we became very anxious for the Lord to grant us the second part of His promised blessing, namely, that additional children should come to our home. We talked it over and decided that when we went to the temple to do work for the dead, as it is our custom to do once each year, that we would have Mrs. Gledhill washed and annointed for this special blessing.

On arriving at the temple we told President Anderson that we had great faith that the Lord would keep His promise to us, but we were impatient and wanted to intercede for the Lord to grant us this blessing now. When the sisters were washing and anointing Mrs. Gledhill, the spirit of the Lord whispered to her an assurance of our desire, and at the conclusion of this Holy ordinance she came and told me of this assurance she had received, and that she knew it was from God. President Anderson, who was mouth in the prayer that was offered in her behalf, at the conclusion of this Holy ordinance promised her the desire of her heart. After working in the temple two or three days for our dead, we returned home.

In the required time from this temple blessing God gave us an eleven-pound son, notwithstanding the predictions of the doctors to the contrary. Our hearts are so full of gratitude that we wish we could tell the whole world of this modern miracle. On hearing of Mrs. Gledhill's condition, one of the doctors wrote and asked one to take her to a hospital to be confined, and suggested that operative interference might be necessary. But instead of doing this we called in the Elders at this critical hour, and our baby was born naturally. No sooner had the birth occurred than I sent word to the doctors, who, by the way, are very dear friends of mine, and told them of our promised son.

In conclusion let me bear you my testimony that I know that God lives and that the divine plan of salvation, called "Mormonism" is the only plan that will bring genuine happiness and joy to the souls of men; and that, as far as I have been able to learn, there is no known scientific fact that does not harmonize with this revealed gospel. The longer I live, and the more I study, the more virtue I see in our gospel; and for this testimony I thank God.

T. R. GLEDHILL, M. D.

Richfield, Utah.

Lambert Reminiscence

APPLIES FOR WORK UPON NAUVOO TEMPLE--ACCEPTS WORK WITHOUT PROSPECT OF PAY--HIS HAT STONED--OFFERED WORK BY LUCIFER, WHO DISPLAYS ABUNDANCE OF GOLD--JOURNEY WESTWARD--MONEY PROVIDENTIALLY FURNISHED FOR COMPLETION OF WAGON--MONEY FOR MEDICINE OBTAINED IN LIKE MYSTERIOUS WAY--ARRIVAL IN WINTER QUARTERS--AMBITION TO GO WEST WITH PIONEERS--PLAN FOILED BY INDIANS KILLING TEAM ANIMALS--PRESIDENT YOUNG'S CONFIDENCE--NEW SHOES PROVIDENTIALLY FOUND--DISLOCATED ARM PROVIDENTIALLY RESTORED TO USE.

When Charles Lambert, in the early part of 1844, arrived in Nauvoo, fresh from his native land, England, he was full of zeal for his newly-found religion, and willing to devote his life to the service of the Lord. He applied for work upon the Temple, showing credentials from master workmen, under whom he had served in England, that testified to his superiority as a mechanic. He was informed that there was plenty of work for him to do, but no pay. The means that had been subscribed for the building of the Temple had been exhausted. Many of the most skillful workmen had already found employment elsewhere, and it looked as if the work would have to cease unless more funds could be collected. He said he had come to Nauvoo with a determination to help build the Temple, and he proposed to do so if he never received any pay. He was accordingly set to work. He had been a master workman or contractor for a long time before leaving England, and consequently wore only good clothes; in fact, he had none suitable to wear while working as a tradesman. He therefore appeared for work wearing a good suit of clothes and a high silk-finished hat. He hung his hat up in the work-shop, donned an improvised cap and apron and commenced work.

Many of those employed upon the Temple were Americans who seemed to have a contempt for foreign mechanics, and especially for dandies in that line, and to show their contempt, or else in a spirit of fun or mischief, they threw spalls at the "stove pipe" hat as it hung in the shop until they cut it to pieces.

Charles Lambert wisely saw the folly of quareling with his fellows over this act of vandalism, so he ignored it, and treated the perpetrators of it as if it had not occurred. His courteous and dignified conduct and lack of ostentation, combined with his superiority as a workman soon overcame the prejudice arrayed against him and won the respect if not the admiration of his fellow workmen, and he got along agreeably with them.

So many of the mechanics quit work from sheer necessity and went elsewhere to seek employment that the question of how and when the Temple was ever to be completed became more of a problem every day.

Charles Lambert and one of his fellow mechanics (W. W. Player) who also was an Englishman, and a man of faith, discussed this problem between themselves, and voluntarily pledged themselves to continue at work until the Temple was built whether they were paid for their services or not. It is one thing, however, for a man to deny himself and quite another to deny a dependent wife and children the comforts or necessaries of life.

Charles Lambert had married during the first year of his residence in Nauvoo and undertaken the support of two brothers and a sister of his wife, who had recently been orphaned and were helpless. He felt keenly his responsibility, and wished for money as he never had done before. While feeling thus he was passing along the street in Nauvoo one day when he met a well-dressed, genteel stranger who inquired if his name was Charles Lambert. On being told that it was, he said his name was Higgins, and that his home was in Missouri. With an ingratiating smile he said "I have heard of your skill as a workman, and want you to go to Missouri and work for me. You are not appreciated or properly paid here. If you will quit the Temple and go and work for me you can name your own price and you will be sure of your pay. You see I have plenty of money with which to pay you." Suiting the action to the word, he thrust his hand into his pocket, and drew it out full of $10.00 and $20.00 gold pieces, which he displayed in a tempting manner, and urged him to accept his offer and not to submit any longer to the unfair treatment accorded him at the Temple. With a gesture of impatience called forth by the intimation of unfairness, Father Lambert thanked the stranger for his offer, but said he couldn't think of accepting it. He said he had no complaint to make of his treatment at the Temple, and the price others would pay for work they wished done would not influence him in the matter, as he intended to continue on at the Temple from principle. Bidding the stranger "Good-day" he turned to continue his walk along the street, but almost immediately the query arose in his mind as to how the stranger knew his name, and where he got his information from about his skill as a mechanic, and turned to take a final look at the stranger, when lo! he was no-where to be seen. He had disappeared as completely as if the ground had opened and swallowed him, and yet he had not had time by any ordinary means of locomotion to get out of sight. His opinion then was, and remained so up to the day of his death, that he had been talking with no other than Satan, the prince of tempters, and though he had not yielded to his tempting offer he was vexed with himself for listening to him at all, and especially to his insinuations about the Temple management.

When Father Charles Lambert left Nauvoo he entered upon an order of life that was entirely new to him--that of a frontiersman. In remaining in Nauvoo until the work on the Temple ceased he not only followed the counsel of the authorities of the Church, but fulfilled also the vow that he has personally made to do so regardless of compensation. There was, however, an additional reason for his so doing. While continuously employed upon the Temple he had no opportunity of earning by work elsewhere the necessary equipment for migrating. He had, partly by his own labor at odd times and partly by help from others, completed the wood work for a wagon but lacked the required iron to finish it, or the necessary money with which to buy it. Preparation for the journey was thus effectually blocked for some time until the money was finally provided in a most miraculous manner, as a direct answer to prayer. He had been out in a rainstorm one day and had returned home drenched to the skin. After changing his clothes he hung his wet trousers over a chair back before the fire to dry. When he was about to resume the use of the same clothes again after they had become dry, an English gold sovereign and fifteen cents in silver rolled out of the trousers pocket upon the floor, notwithstanding the fact that he had previously had no money. This was just the amount required for the purchase of the iron, and the wagon was soon completed. This was not the first time money to supply a dire necessity had been furnished the family in answer to prayer in a most mysterious manner. Once when Charles J., the first child in the family was taken violently ill and money was needed and prayed for with which to buy medicine the father entered the house feeling something that he had discovered in the waist-band of his trousers, and which he remarked felt like money. On having the waist-band ripped open the object was found to be twenty-five cents, just the amount required for the medicine. They would not use it, however, until they had inquired of the tailor who made the pants a short time previously if he had lost it, but he said he could not possibly have accidently sewed the money in the waistband when making the pants, for he had no money. In both of these instances the money was accepted as a gift from the Lord.

Driving team, and especially an ox team, was a new experience for Charles Lambert; but what he lacked in experience or tact he more than made up in kindness to his animals and willingness to sacrifice himself to save them. The team consisted of a yoke of full grown oxen, a yoke of young steers and a yoke of cows--all unbroken. Of course common produce demanded that the driver walk beside the team while the animals were wild or where the roads were bad, as they frequently were, but when the team became tractable and the roads were good a teamster inclined to self-indulgence would certainly have ridden. Not so, however, with Charles Lambert, who so sympathized with his team animals that he refused to buy a whip when starting on the journey lest he might in a rash moment be tempted to abuse them. In the exuberance of his young manhood he preferred to walk, and it may be said that he practically if not literally walked the whole of the way from Nauvoo to Salt Lake Valley. On arriving at Winter Quarters--the main camp of the migrating Saints--it was late in November, and he remained there personally only long enough to build a log cabin to shelter the family and then went to Missouri to find work. He was ambitious to journey westward with the pioneers, and to earn all he could in the meantime. He was doomed to disappointment, however, for the Indians killed the team animals in the Spring of 1847, after the oxen had been brought through the winter in fine shape. This was a serious set back, but, undismayed by this misfortune, he returned to Missouri, taking his family with him, to work for another outfit. The mention of an incident that occurred at Winter Quarters will serve to illustrate the confidence the Church leaders had in the subject of our sketch. During a council meeting that was being held there some person reported that he had heard that Charles Lambert was living in Missouri among non-Mormons and would probably lose the faith if indeed he had not already apostatized. President Brigham Young replied immediately, "You need not worry about Charles Lambert. I am willing to answer for all the sins he commits in Missouri." Samuel Turnbow, who was present at the council and afterwards related the incident, said he was so impressed with the remark of Brigham Young and so pleased with his rebuke to the retailer of gossip, that he ever afterwards longed to become acquainted with Charles Lambert. He not only did so at the earliest opportunity, when they met in the Salt Lake Valley, but remained an ardent friend up to the time of his death. President Young's confidence was not misplaced. Charles Lambert's loyalty to the Church and its leaders never wavered.

It was on President Young's advice that the Lambert family returned to Missouri again in the Spring of 1848, instead of migrating to Utah that year, as they intended, and so it happened that they did not arrive in Utah until the fall of 1849. On the journey across the plains no member in the large company, which included 100 wagons, too a more active part than did Charles Lambert. When the company was organized he was appointed captain over ten wagons, did his duty as such with zest and set an example to the whole company in the matter of early rising, providing fuel, caring for the animals, etc. While on the plains his shoes gave out and his feet became very sore. Early one morning while he and a companion named Wm. Bateman were out rounding up the stock and the grass was hurting his feet badly, he said as he hobbled along, "I do wish the Lord would send me a pair of shoes." They had not proceeded much farther when he noticed some dark looking object protruding above the grass a short distance ahead. Pointing it out to his companion, he remarked that one of the animals must have lost his bell, and walked along intending to recover it. Imagine his surprise when he discovered as he approached the object that it was not a bell but a pair of new shoes, looking as fresh as if they had just come from the shelf of a store. The sole of one was sunk into the top of the other, so that they would occupy as little space as possible--the shape in which stoga shoes were kept in pairs in a shoe store in that age, before it became the vogue to keep them in paste board boxes. The place in which they were found was so far from a traveled road as to render it highly improbable that they had fallen there from a passing wagon, nor indeed was there any wagon tracts visible in the vicinity of the place. No time was lost in speculation as to how the shoes happened to be there, but Father Lambert jumped to the conclusion that they were there for his special benefit, and exclaimed, "The Lord has sent me some shoes!" His companion, however, put in a counter claim by saying, "One shoe is mine, for I helped find them!" But the shoes proved to be entirely too small for him to wear, while they fit Father Lambert as if they had been made for him. The result was that he retained the undisputed possession of them.

Early life in Salt Lake Valley was exceptionally serious. Hard work and long hours were the portion of every one who was able and willing to work, and Charles Lambert was unusually able and more than willing to do his full share. His robust constitution, which for a long time seemed able to withstand anything, in time yielded to the unusual strain, the severe privations and the frequent hardships and exposure to which he was subjected. He contracted inflammatory rheumatism, which frequently affected his eyes and sometimes rendered him almost completely blind, and actually drew his shoulder out of joint, so that for a period of several months he was unable to use his right arm even to dress himself. He was examined by surgeons while thus crippled, who were unanimous in declaring that the shoulder was dislocated, and in urging him to have it set; but he absolutely maintained that he had done nothing to displace the joint, that the Lord knew better than man the nature and cause of his trouble and that he would trust in the Lord to cure him. It may be interesting here to relate how he again obtained the use of his arm. A man by the name of Gallup at that time, (about the year 1853) resided in the 7th ward, where also was the home of the Lambert family. This man though he had a membership in the Church was a rank apostate at heat, and quite active in advocating the doctrines of Gladden Bishop, a notorious dissenter from the Church, and maligning the Church Authorities. Gallup held the office of school trustee in the ward, (an office which in those days was usually filled by appointment of the Bishop or election in a Church meeting and not by vote of the tax payers as in later times) and this afforded him some prestige in circulating among the people his apostate principles. Father Lambert protested to the ward bishopric against such a man being retained as school trustee. As a result, a meeting of the Priesthood of the ward was appointed by the Bishop to consider the matter. When the meeting opened Gallup was informed that his fealty to the Church had been questioned, and was asked to state his feelings. He arose and boldly declared his unbelief in the doctrines of the Church, and then proceeded to say that Joseph Smith was a wicked and adulterous man; he had associated with drunkards, his lot was cast with the hypocrite and unbeliever and he had gone to hell. The assembly listened with astonishment almost with stupefaction to the man's utterances, without apparently any thought of resenting his slanderous imputations, with the exception of one man. Charles Lambert was seated in the opposite side of the room, and a number of benches intervened between him and Gallup, but springing to his feet he leaped over the benches and rushed towards Gallup, crying out as he did so, "I will send you to hell," and raising his right arm, that he had never been able to use for months, was about to deal him a blow with his clenched fist, when Gallup dodged backward to escape from him, and others seized his belligerent assailant to prevent a collision; at the same time a chorus of voices cried out in surprise, "Brother Lambert has recovered the use of his arm!" The meeting ended by Gallup bein deprived of office and also fellowship in the Church by vote of the assembly, and Charles Lambert returned home rejoicing in the use of his arm, which was now free from pain; and Mother Lambert wept for joy when she met him at the door and saw him swinging his arm high above his head and heard him declare it was as good as ever.

Though a fiery-tempered man, and hasty to act in the defense of his friends or his principles, he was essentially a man of peace, and his life was an object lesson before his family of patient endurance of bodily ills, perseverance in the midst of obstacles and unwavering fidelity to his religion. Courage is not always best displayed in fighting; generosity not always in ostentations giving; zeal not always in outward show of piety. He had all of these and many other good qualities, but not for public parade. He never shrank from duty however great the danger or exacting the bodily exertion involved. The cry of distress never appealed to him in vain; the needy never had to ask him for aid, for he sought them out and quickly and quietly gave them freely of the best he had.

A Timely Warning

VISIT TO A VOLCANO--MADAM PELE'S HAIR--NARROW ESCAPE FROM FALLING INTO A VOLCANO.

Two "Mormon" Elders--missionaries on the Sandwich Islands--once had occasion to visit that great natural wonder, the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii, which is the largest island of the group. The Kilauea is 4,000 feet above sea-level and is on the side of a mountain, which rises 10,000 feet higher. On the top of this mountain is the master volcano of the Pacific.

At the time of the visit mentioned the Kilauea activity was confined to an immense cavity in the center of the crater valley, which is three miles in diameter and sunken two hundred feet below the surface, with black walls surrounding it which could only be descended with the utmost caution. While traversing this black surface, to reach the living lake of molten lava the visitor is liable to break through a blister and imagine he is about to make an involuntary descent into the fiery liquid below until he grasps the surface with his hands and obtains a firmer footing. On reaching the "lake" he looks downward two hundred feet upon a restless moving mass of red hot lava, surging against the rocky sides with such force as to throw masses of lava into the air, there to be caught by heavy gusts of wind and spun out into threads that bear some resemblance to a woman's hair. Indeed it is called "Madam Pele's hair," that is, the hair of "Pele," the fabled goddess of the volcano.

On the occasion mentioned curiosity and ambition led the two Elders to walk out to the very edge of the crater in order to look down more directly upon the fantastic display of the red hot mass. One of them even ventured to stand upon a projecting point of rock, veneered over with black and glossy lava, from which vantage point he watched the changes constantly occurring upon the surface of the crater. The glaring red lava sometimes cools very rapidly, and the surface of the crater may change in appearance within a few minutes from a brilliant red to a glossy black. Then within a few minutes a strip of red may appear across the surface, as if it were furrow plowed by some mighty genii, and then extending from this line, as if by magic, the black surface caves in or is overflowed by the fiery liquid below until the whole lake is again an active pulsating mass of red molten lava. As the beholder views this impressive spectacle he is apt to yield to a feeling of fascination, until he contemplates the Power that controls the mighty forces of nature of which that before him is only a slight exhibition, when a feeling of awe and sense of his own insignificance overwhelms him. He realizes how utterly impotent he would be if left to contend with such forces, and is impressed with the incomparable majesty and greatness of that Being who controls, operates and holds in check the forces of nature, and feels like exclaiming as one of old "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"

While the two Elders stood upon the brink of the volcano absorbed in thought a sudden feeling came over the one who occupied the position upon the projecting rock that he remove therefrom, and he immediately acted upon it by walking back to where his companion stood, a few feet distant. He had scarcely vacated the projecting point when it split off from the mainland and dropped into the seething mass below. An instant's delay in acting upon the admonition that came to him would have meant certain death in a most shocking form. The volcano no longer had any attraction for him; on the contrary, he felt impelled to hurry away from the scene; he did so with a fervent feeling of gratitude to the Lord for the presence of the monitor that prompted him in time to enable him to escape from the horrible death that menaced him.

H. H. C.

One of Nature's Gentlemen

FINE SPECIMEN OF MAORI--EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL UPON HIM--HIS EXCELLENT FAMILY.

"Piripi" (Philip in English) Te Maari, the subject of this sketch, was one of the first Maoris to embrace the Gospel in New Zealand, when the Elders opened up the work there in 1882. Truly Philip was one of nature's noblemen. He stood six-foot-one in his stockings; was as straight as an arrow; was handsome and, before his death in 1897, he became almost white; his hair and beard were as white as snow and always kept neatly trimmed. He had a very stately walk, and on seeing him approach one would intuitively stand erect and throw his shoulders back.

His face wore a smile that captivated and drew men and children alike to him. He was a leader among men, not alone among his own people, but among Europeans, with whom he mingled and had dealings; all learned to know his worth and that he was a man far above the average in knowledge and goodness. He was chosen by the English government and by his own people to represent the Maoris in the Colonial Government. He also held many other positions of honor and trust among his people and the whites. He was possessed of considerable wealth, and owned a city and a country home, where he entertained many people, sometimes members of the nobility, who were on business for the Government. A most praiseworthy fact is that the poorest of the poor were just as welcome under his roof as the wealthy were. All were treated alike.

His home life was simple. He was most devoted to his wife and children. He loved to take them to his country home and spend his spare time with them in the woods, the fields and in the mountains, where all nature smiled on them. He felt that he could get closer to his boys and girls there and teach them the lesson of life more effectually than in the city, where he was kept so busy with affairs of the Government and native officials.

He had seven sons and two daughters. At the death of his beloved wife he mourned full seventy days--an old Israelitish custom. At the opening of the Gospel in Maoridom, in 1882, this man had never heard of "Mormonism." He was surrounded by worldly friends--both white and native--and possessed of wealth and lands. With these surroundings followed banqueting, games, and English horse races.

He owned several very fine race horses. With all these temptations he lived a good and pure life. He however, as was the custom of the country, was a user of tobacco. This he was very fond of. The class of people he entertained at his home frequently indulged in the use of intoxicants; but these "Piripi" never tasted.

He attended the Episcopalian church, but always felt that there was something lacking, and he was looking for something to satisfy his spirit. The manner in which he became acquainted with the Gospel was related by him to the writer in substance as follows:

"Two strange men came to our home. They were unheralded by any pomp or display. They were not so much as dressed in the ordinary gown and tall hat worn by our preachers. They were clothed in very plain, but exceptionally clean clothing. There was something very different about them from our ministers. We had been in the habit of building homes for our preachers, and fed them a little better than the ordinary folks; but when these things were offered to these two preachers from a strange land--the "land of the rising sun"--America, they said: 'No, we are your fellow servants, we are here to do you service, your superiors. Let us eat with you, and of what you eat.'

"Imagine our amazement--preachers eating out of a common family dish, and with natives too! They had with them a new book, which they explained was the history of my people before they came to this land. They read portions of it to us and explained that the people of whom it spoke had lived and died in the great land to the east--the 'land of the rising sun'. We had been told by one of our native seers that the true Gospel of the Lord would be brought to the Maoris, by white men, who would come from 'the land of the rising sun.'

These men were very humble, and would not accept any of our lands, as pay; nor did they meddle with our women, but spent day and night in preaching and teaching us. We soon accepted the Gospel, and can not tell you half our joy and how the Holy Spirit was poured out upon us. And to know that we really were of the House of Israel. Why this alone brought joy unspeakable to our souls. We received that long-looked for something that we had before lacked."

"But now," said Piripi, "came the hardest task of all. They told us the good news, that we had a right to the Priesthood, and could act as ministers to our people. They were instructed to organize a branch among us; and that, should we qualify ourselves, the authority would be given us to be spiritual leaders among our kindred. We must lay aside the use of tobacco and we must not gamble nor race horses. They did not require us to 'sign the pledge' nor don the 'blue ribbon.' They were to be gone a month, and during this time we were to consider, and fast and pray and ask the Lord to help us decide.

"O, friends I will never forget my feelings. Had our other ministers requested that we conform to this ruling we would not have done so. There was not the comfort there to lead us to make sacrifices. I dearly loved my tobacco, and would have parted with all my wealth and lands rather than forsake the pipe. I did get so much good--comfort--out of it; and my blooded race horses were the pride of the land. But this new information--that 'we were of Israel' and might be ministers to our kindred--was a blessing not to be refused. They said, 'pray, fast and ask the Great Spirit to help you to decide.'

"I took my pipe and tobacco and left my home early on the morning that the Elders took their departure. Reaching a little plateau up in the hills, I found a huge rock. I sat down by it and cut up my tobacco and filled my pipe full, then took out some matches and placed them all on top of the stone. Then I stepped back a few paces. I looked at them and said to myself: 'There,' pointing to the things on the rock, 'is the devil, and there,' pointing away up the valley and over the hills in the direction of the Elders, 'is the Priesthood. Which shall I obey, God or the Devil?' Then I went to the opposite side of the rock and prayed for help. When I returned I had decided. I said, 'I will not smoke my pipe again.' Then I took a stone and broke the pipe into fragments. On the second and third days I can not tell the trials through which I went, and how I was tempted. By reason of the fasting and denying myself tobacco I became deathly sick, and on the third day, something suggested to me that my oath was that I would not smoke my pipe again, but that I did not say 'I will not use tobacco again.' 'Piripi, try a cigarette; it is the going without a smoke that makes you so ill.' I yielded and smoked two, but I did not improve, so I said, 'I will never use tobacco again in any form. Old Satan is trying to cheat me out of the Priesthood that rightfully belongs to me.' When the Elders returned I had--by the help of the Lord--conquered, and was prepared to receive the blessings that had been promised."

Later this good man disposed of all of his race horses, and worked for the uplift of his people, and died as he lived--true to the faith. A most remarkable thing is that all of his children followed in his footsteps, and are now leading pillars in the Church. He assisted in proof-reading the Book of Mormon when it was translated into his language. He died in 1897. His life was an inspiration to all who knew him. What he did in the matter of controlling his appetite, and the comfort he experienced as a result, should encourage others to try to do so.

L. G. H.

Praying to Death

ATTEMPT OF HAWAIIAN PRIEST TO PRAY MORMON ELDER TO DEATH--HIS FAILURE AND HAWAIIAN DISCOMFITURE

Praying to death is an old practice among the Hawaiians, that prevailed in former times more than at the present day. How successful it was I am not prepared to say. I know that it proved a failure when an attempt was made to exercise it upon me over thirty years ago.

An offense, intentional or unintentional (it made no special difference which) being given, revenge was at once sought to be inflicted upon the offender without the shedding of blood. I suppose success was attained oftener when the party under anathema knew or heard of what was going on against him.

The attempt against me was so secretly kept from my knowledge that I knew of no such project against me until the affair was settled in court.

The episode developed, in the following way: I had leased a tract of rush, swampy land in Crater Valley, consisting of about fifty acres to a Chinaman for the cultivation of rice. Within the boundaries of this tract was an old "loi" of about a half acre which in former years had been devoted to the growing of kalo roots, from which poi is made. When the Chinamen began work on this loi with their big hoes two native women with native men came with a din and noise such as only Chinamen and Hawaiians can make and drove the Chinamen off. I was in Honolulu at the time. On returning Kupau, a noted lawyer for the konehike, (employed to watch and see that the Chinamen did not trespass upon the land) came to me and informed me of the fiasco, and was anxious to know what could be done to prevent strife. I advised that he muster all the Chinamen he could and divide them into four squads; then place one squad or division at each corner of the land which the natives were contesting for, and have them go to work. If the natives should come and drive them from one corner of the land, let the Chinamen proceed to another corner and take the place of the Chinamen stationed there, who would in turn supplant the next squad until the fourth squad should take the place of those just ousted by the natives, and resume work until they in turn were driven off. In this way the Chinamen could keep alternating all day if necessary. My policy was to limit the contest if possible to the natives and Chinamen, and if litigation had to be resorted to I preferred to defend rather than prosecute. The plan worked, and after half a day of intense noise, the echo of which was wafted through the mountains, the natives planted a suit against me as the "konehike" for ejectment. In connection with the planting of the lawsuit, the two women went and secured the services of a "Kahunapule" --a priest of the ancient order. This priest sacrificed black pigs and chickens and went through with his incantations while he feasted on pork and fowls for three weeks previous to the trial. The last act which the two contesting women were instructed to do before the trial was to express great love and respect for me, but they were to heap anathemas on Kupau, the attorney. They did meet me in a street in the city of Honolulu as I was on my way to the court house.

I may here add that the purpose of the kahunapule and the meeting of the two women were not understood by me until after the trial was over and the jury, after being out two hours, came in with a verdict in my favor. During these two hours I sat in the center of the courtroom with my head resting on my hand. In the hall way of the courtroom sat ten or fifteen members of our Church, intensely interested in and anxious as to what the verdict should be. As I refused to go to lunch with the sheriff the natives believed I was praying during the two hours the jury was out, for they knew of the kahunapule though I did not, and they wanted to see which God would prove to be the more powerful. When the jury came in and announced the verdict every Church member gathered around me with expressions of "aloha" far to exceed what the two women had manifested to me on the street, although that was so public I felt ashamed.

The two women left the courtroom and repaired to their Kahunapule, moaning and lamenting as they traversed the streets of Honolulu.

As the accusers departed my people informed me for the first time of the action of the kahunapule and told how anxiously they had awaited the result. They remarked "we watched you during the two hours the jury were out and believed you were praying to God."

At the time of the occurrence of the court proceedings my wife and I were in Honolulu ready to take the next steamer for San Francisco. Thirty-three years have passed since then, and I am still alive, notwithstanding the efforts to pray me to death.

H. H. C.

[Transcriber's Note:

Misprints or misspellings in the text have been corrected, or are otherwise as they appear in the book. Changes include: Prophet, Massacre, unusual, following, ridicule, thereafter, missionary, displayed, concerned, repudiated, although, inmates, bishop, presume, Colonel, murderous, without, wilderness, Millard and scientific.]